


Lights and Shadows

by FragileYetEerie



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Car Accidents, F/F, Hospital, Hurt/Comfort, LGBTQ Character, Lesbian, Or Maybe More, Romance, Two Shot, no rewind
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-19 12:59:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4747352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FragileYetEerie/pseuds/FragileYetEerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Max, this girl ruined your entire future."<br/>'But she's the only thing keeping me alive,' Max wanted to say.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Max's heart beat in the rhythm of the music blasting through Chloe's old truck. It had been five whole years. Five years in which she had, despite the fact that she had never quite realized it, abandoned her best friend. Five years of feeling like she was out of place, not fitting in with the people around her, almost like she lived in an entirely different world.

Five years that hadn't managed to make her forget about Chloe.

Chloe; if she had to pick a name to go with all her best memories, it would be this one. She wasn't certain about a lot of things, but when it came to this, there was no doubt in her mind.

The last years had been hard on Max, she had moved away from Arcadia Bay, the city she had been born in that seemed separated from the rest of the world more than anything. They had left on the same road as she was now driving with Chloe. The girl still remembered staring out of the window as she left, the bittersweet feeling of unspoken goodbyes making her chest feel like something heavy was weighing it down. Outside, one could see the sun sinking across the water, a few tall trees blocking part of the view, but not making it any less beautiful. And then, there was Chloe, the shadows playing with her sharp yet feminine features, the bit of sun that was left had her eyes glowing in a bright blue. The color matched Chloe's hair; the old Chloe had been blonde, with a touch of red. And despite the fact that she had been born with that hair color, the blue just seemed so much more natural and fitting on her. 

Was that a good way to start a conversation with someone you hadn't seen in years- complimenting them on their new hair color? 

Before she knew what she was doing, Max had already grabbed her old polaroid camera from inside the bag she always carried around, a bag filled with pretty much everything she needed to survive. Her diary, her camera, and of course, her photos. 

A photo was taken and Chloe’s eyes barely turned in her direction at the sound; Max really was at a loss.  
Max was the type to take photos rather than to actually partake in life, though she was trying to be a bit less socially awkward, old habits were hard to shake and maybe, taking photos wasn't an entirely bad habit, no matter what happened, she knew she at least always had her pictures. Like the ones from her childhood. If she messed things up now, that's be all she's have left from Chloe. Despite the knowledge that this was a possible outcome, the brunette made up her mind to finally talk to Chloe. The car ride after Chloe's rescue at the school parking lot had been filled with heavy silence up until now. 

“Chloe. I barely know what to say, believe me, I wish I had called you when I was gone. It's just all been too much to handle for someone like me. Not like I need to tell you, I'm a total loser,” her soft voice carried even more insecurity than usually. Max swallowed, trying to find the right words judging by Chloe's reaction.The latter stayed still for a few seconds before speaking up, her voice now deeper and less carefree than it had been when she was still just a girl. 

“Quit putting yourself down and assuming that makes things alright. You've always done that when you messed things up, like breaking stuff or arriving late. You know, this wasn't one of those little things; you just left when I had no one at all, when my dad had only just died.” The girl's breath smelled faintly of alcohol. 

And of course, the statement hit Max like a bullet in the chest, just like it was meant to. 

“And better yet, you're now going to Blackwell. School started weeks ago, Maxine,” Max was visibly uncomfortable as Chloe deliberately used that name,”Quite frankly, I don't think you would have called even if you had been here for years.” 

By now, Max could feel tears collecting in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall for now. She didn't know if what Chloe had said was true or not. If she wouldn't have, it would have been due to her insecurities, but did that really make a difference?

Probably not. If it comes down to stepping out of your comfort zone or truly hurting someone you care about, any good friend would definitely chose the former. So why hadn't Max? 

Had she truly convinced herself that she could just leave for years, and once she got back, things would be fine? She hadn't been sure she'd come back in the first place, and if it weren't for fate, Chloe might have forever stayed just that, a memory of a friend left behind.

“I would have, I’m pretty sure.. I just couldn't bring myself to actually take the final step, I thought I could lose you forever if I messed things up. I just wish my parents had never wanted to leave all of a sudden, I have always wanted to get out of here with you, not with anyone else.”

For a moment, Chloe's expression turned into one of such sadness, it didn't fit a face as young, and usually so full of life and excitement, like hers. Her hand held onto the steering wheel tightly, pale knuckles turning even whiter. If the situation had been more fitting, Max might have just taken another photo, the anger radiating from such a tiny gesture somehow fascinated her.

“I didn't save your ass just so you could fuck me over again, just say it. You didn't need me anymore and poof, I disappeared from your world, just like that,” blue eyes were staring Max down, burning with so many emotions, Max had to do her hardest to not turn away,”but you know a secret? I don't care. If I want a shitty friend, I can pick anyone, you're not that special and you never have been. You’ve never cared about me, all that ever mattered to you were your fucking photos.” 

As those words were spoken, Chloe's foot unconsciously pressed down the accelerator, and the trees passed by just a bit faster, the fast change between brightness and shadow not helping to ease the mood inside the car.  
Max didn't know what to say, her heart was beating fast and the music suddenly sounded sadder than before, under the prospect that Max might never listen to it with Chloe again. 

Chloe had always been like a loaded gun when she was mad, trying her best to hurt the ones around her just as much as she had been, and Max was sure she deserved it, she'd take any insult if it meant that Chloe would forgive her in the end. 

Her downcast eyes traveled in Chloe's direction again, making sure that Chloe was serious and this was the end of the future the two had planned out so well.

‘As long as we leave together, I don't really care where we go,’ the brunette still remembered saying that and, at the time, meaning it. 

It was the look in Chloe's deep blue eyes that suddenly made her heart stop. 

Where there had been determination and anger moments ago, there was now sadness, tears streaming down her face. When had this happened? When had Max hurt her best friend like this?

She let her hand wander in the direction of Chloe's face, unable to ignore the strong urge to wipe away the girls tears , even if that was likely the least clever thing to do now. Her motions were abruptly stoppen when a screeching sound was heart, louder than the music, and in fact, so loud that it almost hurt. Max took one last look at Chloe, it might have only been a second, but the image of the girl's face suddenly covered in panic, was etched into her mind anyway. Before she knew what was really going on, there was a feeling of being spun around. Max vaguely remembered the street and a certain curve in the area they were now in, but it was too late. 

A sudden crash. 

All the girl could to was hold on to her friend for dear life with her still outstretched hand. When the car began falling down the hill right next to the street, she barely registered anything other than the feeling of being pressed against her seat, and then hitting the ceiling painfully. 

Before Max blacked out, she could her Chloe's panicked voice shouting at her, “Shit, Max, please tell me you're okay,” coupled with a few more curses. 

Instead of answering however, all Max could do was enjoy the comfort of the darkness that suddenly began to surround her. 

Chloe's hands shook in fear as she tried to wake up the thin girl, cupping her face and shaking her torso violently, but Max just wouldn't wake up. ‘Max, you idiot, you've always forgotten to use your seat belt, even when we were kids,’ she thought, her mind hazy and she didn't know what to do. 

Hands reached over to Max's chest and Chloe Price actually prayed to every god somewhere in the heavens that she'd feel a beating heart. Her own breathing stopped for a few seconds until she felt it, the sign that her friend was still here. That she hadn't lost her all over again. 

Max seemed to have bit her head rather badly though, and unsure just what she was supposed to do, relief washed over Chloe as someone suddenly knocked on her window, cool air blowing into the vehicle as the door was opened and Chloe was dragged out, but everything still felt like it was just a really bad dream. She barely even heard the nameless person asking her all sorts of questions, and didn't protest as the person picked out their phone go finally call an ambulance. As if in a trance, she ran over to the other side of the car, barely glancing at the deer that had jumped in front of the car and caused this accident, and opened the door with way too much force, half collapsing on Max's chest and hugging the other girl as firmly as she could while still being sure that she wasn't hurting her.

Why wasn't Max opening her eyes, why wasn't she grinning and saying something along the lines, ‘wowser, Chloe Price, the master of driving,’ with a tiny bit of sarcasm but a goofy grin?  
...

When Chloe woke up, it was in a white bed inside a hospital room with a nurse standing right beside her and writing something down on a clipboard. 

It took a second, but then, all the memories came back, almost crashing her under their weight. Within a second, she was sitting in the bed and facing the middle aged blonde woman with a tired expression on her face. She was a friend of her mother, that much Chloe knew.

Her body hurt like she had spent a whole day running and now had to suffer the consequences and her headache wasn't making things better. She took a deep breath before her eyes suddenly opened. 

Max.

“Where is the girl who was with me, is she alright?” the question shot out of her mouth before anything else, the suddenness of her actions causing the nurse to almost drop her writing utensils. 

“She's not in a life threatening condition, but before I tell you about her, I'd like to hear a bit about how you feel, Chloe,” the woman went on and the calmness in that voice almost drove Chloe up a wall. 

“My head hurts like hell and I feel like shit. Can I see Max now, please? I need to know she's alright."

The nurse sighed quietly, she had known Chloe ever since she was a kid, and even though she wasn't that close with Chloe's family, she knew Joyce from school back when things were still different in Arcadia Bay.

“I'm really sorry, but she isn't awake yet and I can't just give you information like that without her permission,” the woman replied monotonously, as though she had to recite the line at least ten times a day. 

“Please,” Chloe mustered the biggest puppy eyes she could. If she didn't at least get any information about Max's condition soon, she'd tear the whole hospital down if she needed to. 

When the woman's eyes softened on her, she knew that she had won. The nurse sighed and muttered something about rather losing her job than having someone look at her like that ever again, then gave the tiniest chuckle. Chloe honestly wondered if this was what working in a hospital did to you. How could this woman chuckle to herself when Chloe had never felt such fear ever in her life before. 

The blue haired girl eyed her surroundings while the nurse went through her sheets, not finding anything interesting she could distract herself with. Outside the window, it was already dark. 

How many hours had she been asleep?

“Maxine Caulfield,” the nurse began to read the file aloud, “two fractured ribs, several lacerations and bruises,” she continued and Chloe wasn't sure what to think for once. So far, things didn't sound that bad, or did they?

However, as the nurse’s expression suddenly changed, Chloe instantly picked up on it. 

“Anything else?” She asked, her voice sounding broken. Oh, how she wished this was it. 

“It seems your friend suffered some rather serious head injuries, especially concerning her optic nerve,” the blonde cautiously began. 

“Wait, are you saying that-?”

“Yes, Chloe. It is likely that Max won't be able to see anymore, though we can't quite be sure how much it has truly affected her eyesight. With these types of injuries, you oftentimes see the true extent only a while after the head trauma occurred.”


	2. Darkness

“You're kidding, right? Right? Tell me you're not serious about this, this is not at all funny,” the words left Chloe's mouth right away, but one could have hardly recognized the voice as hers. It sounded bitter, scared, lacking the energy that was usually there whenever Chloe talked.  
There was no energy anymore, only panic. 

Chloe had known, the instant the nurse had begun explaining the consequences of the accident, that she was serious. Dead serious. However, she'd cling onto any false sense of comfort she could get from the woman now, if only that helped her push the thought farther away.  
Max was blind. Everything the girl held dear, all her future; she'd lost it. It was Chloe's fault. 

It almost felt like Chloe had killed her best friend. 

Teeth abused pale pink skin as the blue haired girl bit her lip. Her nails sunk so deep into the soft skin of her arm, if she’d grip anymore tightly, she’d probaly draw blood. If only she hadn't drunk after being threatened by Nathan. If only she hadn't been so mad at Max for leaving her, or if she had waited with the confrontation until they were out of the car, as far away from any car as possible.  
If only.

Chloe just wished she could smoke a cigarette now, here nerves were getting the better of her, the anxiety had her feeling nauseous already. Maybe, a joint would be even better than a cigarette. 

No matter how hard she tried to stop herself from crying now, it was only a matter of seconds until she could feel warm tears making their way down her face. Slowly, a numb feeling spread throughout her body. 

‘If only my life weren't such a mess, I'd never have destroyed hers.’ Not only was Max blind because of her, she had also hurt the younger girl on purpose, saying the most hurtful things she could think of. Things she had known Max wouldn't be able to deal with. 

All because she had been so fucking pissed, or maybe just hurt. The last five years had been an emotional rollercoaster filled with sadness and abandonment more than anything. Ever since her dad had died, nothing had gone as it should. She and Max were supposed to talk about weird things and hang out and just.. Be there for one another. 

Thinking back, she couldn't even remember how she had been able to say these things to Max. Max of all people.  
She could remember the look in Max's eyes as she snapped, the hurt in those beautifully blue orbs. 

Were they even blue anymore now? Chloe sobbed again, the images from before like a movie in front of her eyes.  
”I don't care.” But Chloe did care, in fact, the only reason for her outburst had been that she cared a little too much.  
“If I want a shitty friend, I can pick anyone, you're not that special and you never have been.” Oh, but just how special the smaller girl had always been to Chloe. A friend she could count on, someone who understood her and who made things feel better just by being there. Max had been Chloe's favorite person in the entire world and even Rachel hadn't been able to take Max's place. Whenever she wasn't paying attention to it, she'd begin to think about the old times, to think about Max. 

One time, she had even accidentally called Rachel that; it was only when she realized it that she had felt embarrassed and, slightly confused. She had loved Rachel, and yet, there had still been a person more important to her. A girl she didn't even know at the time would come back.

A girl for whom she had a birthday present ready each year though, just in case she'd see her. 

Right now, there was an old polaroid camera from her father waiting for Max in Chloe’s room. The thought caused her tears to fall even more freely. No more taking photos for Max, no more looking around while being lost in thoughts for the brunette. Max had always been that kind of person; observing rather than participating. What now, when she wasn't even able to do that anymore?

The reality of the situation had yet to fully sink in, but Chloe already wished that she could just go back in time and tell her friend how important she was instead of those cruel insults she had thrown at her. Maybe that would have changed everything. But she couldn't. 

The nurse in the meanwhile just looked at the girl, her discomfort obvious when she had no way of calming her down. Things didn't look so good for Max and what good would it do to hide the truth? 

“Look, you yourself are lucky that you made it out without any serious injuries, and I'm sure your friend would rather be blind than dead, so just calm down please,” she awkwardly tried to help Chloe. 

“You have absolutely no idea,” Chloe began bitterly, “Max is the best photographer I know, she's going to Blackwell because her biggest wish ever since her childhood one day was to take photos for a living, and I just destroyed that by acting like a total idiot. I'd much rather have died than to be completely healthy when she is the one who deserves to be.” Chloe paused for a moment. 

“It's not fair,” the words left her lips at the volume of a mere whisper, she sounded broken more than anything.  
The nurse looked at the girl in front of her even more sadly now, finally making up her mind then. 

“She might see again one day, in a few cases, these types of injuries are only temporary. Maybe she's lucky and it will get better,” she continued, seemingly trying to convince herself as well as Chloe. Not everyone was made for a job like this, and in moments like this, the brunette honestly doubted that this was what she was born to do. 

“As if you believe that, she's blind and there's nothing anyone can do,” Chloe retorded, speaking out loud what she had been thinking all along. 

“Where is she now? Can I see her?” The words were spoken loudly, making clear that Chloe didn't just want an answer, she expected a positive one. 

“I'm.. Not so sure it's a good idea for you tovbe with her now, she'll probably wake up soon and I'm sure she's stressed enough as it is.”

Despite the negative answer, Chloe was already getting up, her body protesting against the movement, but she ignored it. 

“She'll be fine if I'm there, we've been best friends ever since we were kids, she needs someone there,” Chloe gave a short explanation. 

“I don't think I have the permission to..”

“God, just give me the room number, or I'll personally slam each door open until I find her,” Chloe told the older woman, meaning each word she said. The other was obviously uncomfortable with having to make that decision, but only Max mattered to Chloe now, she couldn't worry about anyone else. 

“I.. It's room 205, a few rooms to the right.”

“Thanks, that wasn't so hard now, was it?” She asked as she passed the woman. 

When the door fell into the lock behind the energetic blue haired punk, the nurse sighed, hoping this wouldn't cause too much trouble for her in the end.

The hallway was barely a blurr of white and grey as Chloe rushed through it, her heave boots causing a bit of noise to echo through the otherwise empty hallway. Weren't there supposed to be busy doctors everywhere? Or maybe Chloe watched too many TV shows. 

When the number ‘205’ finally came into sight, the many feelings inside Chloe's chest were almost unbearable. Fear, panic and shock, and a wave of ‘what ifs' crashing over her. She felt nauseous.

Would Max even want to see her? 

The room was, just like the hallway, empty of any persons. Anyone, besides Max. The thin and fragile looking girl looked like she was being swallowed by a fluffy white blanket, her face almost the same shade as the bed. 

White. 

The paler Max looked, the more her freckles were visible, Chloe had noticed over the years, and now, they stood out way more than usually. Max's small mouth was a very light shade of pink and there were shadows underneath what one could see of her eyes. 

Big parts of the face were covered with grey bandages. Max's brown hair looked messy. 

The sound of machines measuring her heartbeat who knows what else felt like a haunting melody to Chloe.  
The girl made her way over to the bed as if she was in a trance. It seemed to unreal, seeing Max again in this setting. Not knowing what to do, or, when the time came, what to say... Chloe wasn't just uncomfortable, she was downright afraid of what was to come, and what changes she would have to expect. Up until now, clinging to the past had been so easy. 

Change. Something she had always wanted, but it never came in the form she expected. She was still here, everything was still fucked up, and yet, things like Rachel's disappearance and their accident, they reminded her that time did, in fact, not stand still in Arcadia Bay.  
And oh, how she wished it did. 

Whenever she thought about the past, she wished it would just be like that again. Back then, when she hadn't felt like she was easy to abandon. Back then, when she barely even knew what real sadness was. Things had changed a lot for her ever since her fathers death, and she had changed along with them. Blue hair covered her eyes as she stood in front of the bed, eyeing Max. 

“Max, I never wanted this, I never wanted to hurt you,” Chloe whispered, toying with Max's hair, “you're the most important thing there ever was in my entire fucking life and god, I'd even be glad to spend all my life here in Arcadia, as long as you're stuck here with me.” 

Luckily, the words didn't have the purpose of making herself feel better, because they did just the opposite. Speaking to Max like this, she could barely even express what she wanted to say, how bad would this conversation go once Max was awake and probably, furious? 

Chloe shortly debated leaving and never bothering Max again, but if there was any chance in hell Chloe could make at least something better or easier for the brunette by being here, she wouldn't move an inch. ‘Not until she explicitly tells me that she doesn't want me to be in her life anymore,’ Chloe convinced herself, there wasn't anywhere to go anyway, she'd have to feel miserable until she'd talk to Max. And maybe then still. 

‘If she wakes up,’ Chloe thought to herself only to push the thought away shortly afterwards. Max's life wasn't in danger, the nurse would have told her if it was.

Just as Chloe found herself leaning closer to Max, wanting to stroke the girl's face and convince herself that there was still warmth in Max body, that she was still with her, the door swung open and an old, grey haired man in doctor's clothing entered the room. The sudden noise had Chloe spinning around and feeling like a criminal caught during a drug deal, her heart was beating fast and her breath stopped for the shortest moment. 

“Young lady, what exactly are you doing here?”the man asked, authority clear in his tone but mixed with a hint of friendliness. For now, Chloe would refrain from picking a fight. 

“I'm making sure Max is okay since no doctor seems to think it's necessary to watch over her, even though she almost died only hours ago!” Chloe explained, coming across like more of a nervous wreck than originally intended. 

“I don't know how you are connected to the patient, but you can't just come in here and touch her like that. We have strict rules concerning hygiene here. Besides, her condition is stable and she should wake up soon enough, every few minutes, someone comes in here to check on her,” he answered in a ‘I know how to do my job' kind of voice, a tiny bit of arrogance undeniably there. 

Chloe clenched one fist, all the stress making it even harder to tolerate people talking back to her. 

She took a breath in, waited five seconds and then, let the air out. She couldn't fuck up and get thrown out of here now. Max was worth it. 

“I'm sorry, okay? My best friend since I was a child was in an accident with me and as far as I know, she'll probably not be able to see anymore and god knows what else might be wrong with her, I'm not in the mood for choosing words carefully. Just.. When do you think she'll wake up?” At the end of her exclamation, her voice suddenly lost all it's strength. 

“How do you even know about her diagnosis?” The doctor began, only to be faced with an unreadable expression. He then continued, somehow able to relate to the girl. “ I can't say for sure, but it should probably be within the next hour, I must, however, ask you to leave. Anything that might cause her stress right now is bad for her. She needs rest now more than anything else. I trust you only want the best for your friend so you’d better understand this.”  
“But I-” Chloe stopped herself. ‘I love her,’ she had wanted to say. 

“I can't leave her alone, she needs me here.. And I need her,” Chloe's voice grew louder the more upset she got. 

“Look, I'm not in a position to-”

A silent voice, almost inaudible, interrupted the discussion between the two.

“Chloe?”

It was Max, her strained voice sounded different from the soft tone in which she usually spoke, but Chloe could care less. Within a second, the argument with the docter was forgotten and she stood besides Max's bed. 

“Max, I’m here.. Are you awake?” Chloe asked clumsily, not even sure what she felt at the moment. A mix of relief, happiness and, fear. For she was pretty sure Max hadn't opened her eyes yet. 

Was this really happening? It felt more like watching a tragic movie. 

“Yes, I am.. Where am I?” Max asked, seemingly oblivious to what had happened. 

“Max..” Chloe began to answer, wanting to comfort the girl in front of her more than anything, but her voice cracked.  
She took another deep breath. 

“We got into an accident, on the road that leads in the direction of the lighthouse..” 

Max mumbled a sleepy, “accident?,” not yet fully awake and probably still under the influence of pain medication.  
“Do you not remember anything?” Chloe asked , concern clear in her voice. 

What if Max had forgotten everything? What if she'd be a completely different person now? Chloe's mind was running wild with all kinds of ideas when it took a few moments for Max to answer her. 

“I remember taking a photo of you when I saw the sunset over the sea, I'm sure it looks great. It's what photographers call-,”

“The golden hour,” Chloe finished softly, remembering how, more than five years ago, Max had told her just the same, though she hadn't sounded as weak and hurt at that time. Back then, Chloe had started laughing and called Max a nerd jokingly.

Now, she felt like crying.

“You're such a dork, I was afraid you wouldn't wake up only minutes ago and here you are, listing facts about photography again,” Chloe told her, nothing but relief in her voice. It felt a bit like dealing with a child. Somehow, Chloe was glad that Max still seemed to be under the influence of medication, maybe that would make things a tiny bit easier. At least for now.

Until just seconds later, Max's eyes opened, icy blue orbs meeting hers, but there was no reaction in Max's face like there usually was when the girl looked at her. No smirk, no smile, no expression at all. Not even a frown. Nothing.

“I remember that a deer jumped in front of the car, too,” Max said, seemingly still out of it, “but everything else is a blurr.” 

“You don't remember how the accident happened?” Chloe asked. To her, everything was still clear, it was almost like remembering a scene of a movie and seeing herself from another perspective. Maybe, not remembering this would be better for Max. 

“I'm not sure yet.. I need to think about it, but my head hurts,” Max answered. “Could you take off the blindfold or bandages or whatever it is? I'd like to look at you and make sure you're okay.” 

‘There is no blindfold', Chloe knew she had to say, but she didn't know how to. 

“Max, I'm okay but your head was actually seriously hurt,” Chloe began. Tears that had just begun to dry flooded down her face again. “I- fuck, Max, I don't know how to say it. I don't even want to, but it's not like I can keep it a secret anyway.” 

“You're scaring me, Che. What's wrong? Why are you crying?” Max asked, and Chloe wanted to bang her head against a wall in frustration. How could she have destroyed the future of this beautiful, bright girl? Max should have never been the one to suffer from her mistakes. 

And she hadn't even told her yet, why the accident had really happened. 

‘Because I was drunk and mad and trying to hurt you in any way possible so I'd feel better about myself.’  
There was no way she could tell her that. It would just hurt her again. 

“I wasn't able to stop when the deer was suddenly in front of the car, and it fell down. At least, a tree stopped the car from falling even deeper, but it was still enough for this to happen..”

Max opened her mouth, pink lips parted and eyes barely open, trying hard to recall everything.”You blacked out and so did I. When I woke up, I asked a nurse about you and she told me..” Chloe stopped.

“What did she say?” Max sounded scared now. It wasn't often that Chloe was serious like that, and when she was, something really must have happened. She was still awake, sure her body was hurting a bit, but she was pretty sure there was no arm or leg missing, so what could Chloe be so serious about? 

“Max, please don't freak out now, but you're blind. There's no blindfold over your eyes.” 

For a moment, it was like time stood still around them.  
Then, thin pale hands reached up to Max's face, checking to see if there really wasn't a blindfold. 

Instantly, Max felt nauseous. 

There was none. Unable to wrap her mind around it, she tried to see by opening her eyes even wider. It was to no avail. 

“Max, we'll manage this somehow, I'm here. You know that.”

“Chloe. I can't be blind. Please tell me this is some kind of joke, maybe I just need to fall asleep and when I open them again, there's nothing wrong,” Max's voice was full of panic. 

“I don't think it works like that,” Chloe began carefully, trying not to be too rough with Max,”We'll get through this somehow. We'll manage.”

But the words didn't seem to reach Max, she only stared off into the distance, unaware of how her surroundings looked. Tears began to appear in her eyes, and Chloe couldn't take it anymore, she moved forward, even closer to Max, and wrapped her arms around the girl's tiny body. Max had always been smaller than her. 

No words were exchanged, and none needed to be, the silence comforted both of them better than anything else probably could have. They stayed like that for a few moments, until the moment was interrupted by a quiet yet masculine voice. 

“I'm really sorry to interrupt you two, but I must ask you to leave. Mrs Caulfield needs rest now, and if you refuse, I'm going to have to force you.”

Instantly, Chloe's fists clenched again. How dare this man forbid her to be with Max when she needed her and so much had yet to be said? 

“Then you're going to have to force me, cause I'm not moving,” she carefully spoke, and even the doctor could tell that the young girl was serious about it. 

Before he answered, however, Max spoke up once again.  
“Chloe. Please don't do this, do you want to risk not being allowed to come here again? I'm alright.. It's just a lot to think about right now,” Max spoke calmly, but an occasional crack in her voice revealed just how hard it was for her to deal with everything. 

When the other wanted to argue, Max spoke up again. She really still knew Chloe better than anyone else did. “Please Chloe, do it for me. Just calm down. And visit me again as soon as possible.” 

The way Max acted like she didn't feel completely lost and overwhelmed with everything had Chloe feeling all of Max's pain. Even if not everyone noticed it, Max was an extremely strong person, or that's what Chloe thought at that moment at least. 

“I'll be here again in no time. I'll just bug the receptionists for as long as necessary. Will you really be alright?”  
Max nodded softly, reaching for Chloe's hand and giving it a small squeeze. “I will.” 

Chloe still felt like she had only been here for seconds, but if it was what Max really wanted, she’d leave the girl alone for now. 

She stroked Max's hand slightly, eyeing the girl again. “I'll come back soon, don't worry.” 

With that, she got up. 

“And don't worry too much, promise?” She asked upon moving away. It felt as though she had to forcibly drag her body away from the girl, everything inside her screamed at her to just stay and never leave Max's side again. 

“Promise, “ Max confirmed. 

The blue haired punk left with a wave and a goodbye that was only directed at Max. 

As the door fell into the lock, she could her the doctor begin to inform Max about her condition. 

Not knowing what to do with herself, she ran off to the room she had woken up in, only finding it instantly because she was lucky. A sigh left her lips. ‘Lucky, of course.’

She got her jacket from the room and rushed outside, lighting a cigarette the moment she stepped out of the hospital. She leaned against the grey wall, covering her eyes with her hands. 

‘What kind of world is this?’ She silently asked herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is finally. Thanks so much for all the feedback, I really appreciate it. (:  
> Song for this chapter: demolition lovers by My Chemical Romance ~

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone. c:  
> I really wanted to write a Life is Strange fic, so here it is. I don't quite know yet whether to make it a two shot or a longer story, I guess it depends on whether people want to read this or not, and whether or not I'm in the mood to write it. However, so far I enjoyed writing this a lot, so please leave some feedback and tell me what you think :3  
> Have a nice day, everyone~


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